NICK DOUGHERTY has turned to three-time champion Nick Faldo for an expert opinion in the countdown to his Masters debut at Augusta National this week.

NICK DOUGHERTY has turned to three-time champion Nick Faldo for an expert opinion in the countdown to his Masters debut at Augusta National this week.

The 25-year-old from Liverpool – whose seventh-place finish in the US Open last June earned him a start in the American major every golfer dreams of playing in – is trying to leave no stone unturned in his bid to make an instant impact at the tournament.

Dougherty, not wanting to be overawed by Augusta in tournament week, spent four days there following the CA World Championship in Miami and then contacted Faldo to arrange a talk.

“I wanted to pick his brain,” he said. “He’s been saying to us since becoming Ryder Cup captain that if we wanted help feel free. I’m not shy of doing that. I phoned him and he said he was more than happy to have a chat. It’s self-evident that Nick and the Masters almost go hand in hand – when you think of Augusta you think of him.

“I can remember as clear as day, even though I was not quite seven, his first win after Scott Hoch missed that little putt. Then him beating Raymond Floyd the following year and then obviously the Greg Norman one, too.

“If there’s one thing which comes from our chat that could save me half a shot it will have been worth it, but you never know, it could make a huge difference – and it certainly can’t do any harm.

“Even if it’s something I already knew it’s a good thing to hear it from him. It’ll reassure me that I’ve got it right in my head about how to play that course.”

The pair go back a long way. It is 11 years ago now that Dougherty won the first of three successive titles in the Faldo Junior Series and the former world number one took him under his wing.

Known as ’Little Nick’ when he turned professional because of their connection, Dougherty was a member of Faldo’s winning Seve Trophy team in Ireland last September and naturally would love to win his first Ryder Cup cap under him later this year.

His victory in the Dunhill Links at St Andrews early in the qualifying race has made that a real possibility, but the battle for places has now reached its crucial point with the first of the four majors.

Dougherty, with only one top 10 finish so far this year, has also started seeing famed American sports psychologist Bob Rotella in a bid to bring his game to a peak when it matters most.

Rotella’s successes include Open champion Padraig Harrington, and Dougherty, who has just slipped outside the world’s top 50, said: “We talked about my general philosophy on what golf is about and now I feel a lot better – it was great.

“When I think about the two times I’ve won they’re probably the most relaxed I’ve ever been.”